Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 106 Finishing Touch
After the old man left, Han Yun began to carefully study these three moves.

The three knife techniques taught by the old man seem simple, but in fact they are infinitely varied.

The Azure Dragon Crescent Blade represents oneness, a method for condensing the sword's energy and blood essence in military strategy; the Thousand-Mile Journey Alone represents ten thousand, sword techniques and combat moves; and the final Righteousness and Severance of Spring and Autumn return to oneness, signifying skill reaching the Dao.

The whole process is a process of simplifying complexity and then returning to simplicity.

Its magic lies in the second stage, where any move can be incorporated into it and become the fuel for the final strike.

It may seem like there are only three swords, but it is actually a complete set of skills passed down through generations. Moreover, each person who receives the skills will walk a different path due to their own experiences.

The only person who could come up with such a brilliant idea is probably the famous Martial Saint Guan Yu.

However, the old man's fundamental method is still the way of military qi and blood, which requires experiencing bloody battles in the army to forge his own will into steel and to absorb the enemy's murderous aura to nourish himself and his weapons.

This is a method of using war to sustain war, which cannot be obtained by slaughtering livestock. In today's social environment, the art of war has little fertile ground, and naturally, there are no successors to carry it on.

This is a choice made by the times, and an inevitable result of development. Some traditions flourish because of the times, and decline because of the times, burying themselves in the long river of history.

No one knows how many similar traditions exist; they are left for us, the descendants, to sigh and search for.

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Two days later.

Rui County, Yongle Palace.

Originally named Da Chunyang Wanshou Palace, this place is the largest and best-preserved Taoist temple in China and one of the three ancestral temples of Quanzhen Taoism.

Han Yun came here mainly to try his luck.

Because the four halls here, Wuji Gate, Sanqing Hall, Chunyang Hall and Chongyang Hall, are all painted with murals, covering a total area of ​​more than 800 square meters.

If we're talking about the place in Shanxi Province where the art of eye-dotting and coloring is most likely to be passed down, it's probably only here.

Among the murals in these four halls, the "Chaoyuan Tu" (Palace of the Gods Paying Homage to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable) is the most outstanding, depicting the various gods of the Daoist temple paying homage to the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, hence the name "Chaoyuan".

Its composition is grand and majestic, each figure is full of spirit, and no two expressions or movements are the same. The clothing and drapery are mostly made of Wu Daozi's "water shield strip" lines, which are several feet long, tight and vigorous, both subtle and powerful.

The colors are applied in bold strokes, with gold leaf applied to the crown, clothing, and incense burner, making it even more dazzling.

After visiting the "Chaoyuan Tu" painting, Han Yun felt that it was beautiful, but it lacked a certain charm.

It wasn't until Han Yun saw a painting titled "Lu Zu Subduing the Dragon" in the Chunyang Hall that he stopped and paused to look at it.

In the painting, Lü Zu holds a three-foot-long sword, his robes fluttering, and confronts a ferocious dragon.

The dragon's scales and claws were flying, and its eyes were bloodshot, as if it were about to break through the wall at any moment; but Lü Dongbin remained calm, and a cold glint appeared on the tip of his sword, which completely suppressed the dragon's overwhelming ferocity.

Han Yun approached the mural and carefully examined the dragon's eyes. The dragon's eyes were as black as ink, yet in the dim light, they seemed to shimmer with divine light.

Strangely, no matter which angle he looked from, those dragon eyes seemed to be staring at him, as if they were truly alive.

"You are the one!"

A slight smile involuntarily appeared on Han Yun's lips.

Han Yun opened his third eye, and in his eyes, the entire structure of the mural seemed to be reflected—how it was blended, how it was painted, how it was outlined, and how it was finished. And how the mural possessed a divine spirit, as if it had been manipulated.

The art of adding the finishing touch is a superior method that uses primordial energy to give life to a painting. The legend of the dragon breaking through the wall and flying away after the finishing touch is derived from this art.

Han Yun stared at the "Lu Zu Subduing the Dragon" painting, a faint golden light swirling in his third eye.

Every stroke and every shade on the mural transformed into a mysterious trajectory in his eyes, as if countless tiny runes were flowing within the ink.

Suddenly, he noticed the almost imperceptible cinnabar dot on the tip of Lu Zu's sword; looking further into the dragon's eyes, he saw a hint of dark gold hidden deep within its black pupils, the very key to the finishing touch technique.

"I see!"

Han Yun murmured to himself. He raised his finger, and a wisp of cinnabar cloud energy condensed at his fingertip, which he slowly touched the reverse scale of the dragon on the mural.

In an instant, the entire mural seemed to come alive. The ink lines rippled like water, and the dragon's body twisted slightly on the wall, emitting a deep roar.

Lu Zu's sword tip gleamed with a clear light, his Taoist robe fluttered without wind, and the clouds and mist in the painting began to swirl and rise realistically.

Who is causing this disturbance?

A clear voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

Han Yun turned around and saw a middle-aged Taoist priest in a blue robe standing beside a pillar in the hall. The priest had a thin face, held a whisk in his hand, and had a jade pen hanging at his waist. He was looking intently in their direction.

Han Yun bowed and said, "I am Han Yun. I apologize for disturbing you. I found this mural to be of extraordinary charm, a masterpiece of painting. I was inspired to investigate it. I hope you will forgive me, Daoist Master."

The Taoist priest's gaze shifted between the mural and Han Yun. Suddenly, he flicked his whisk, and the restless dragon immediately quieted down.

He said meaningfully, "Anyone who can see through the mystery of the 'Subduing the Dragon Diagram' at a glance must be quite extraordinary. I am Qingwei, may I ask where you learned your teacher?"

"Gezao Mountain, Han Yun!"

A glint flashed in Qingwei Daoist's eyes, and he then smiled and said, "So you are a fellow Daoist from the Lingbao Sect. Why don't we move to the back hall for a chat?"

Han Yun nodded in agreement.

The two passed through the side gate of Chunyang Hall and arrived at a quiet courtyard. Ancient cypress trees towered in the courtyard, and writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were laid out on a stone table, with incense smoke curling from a burner nearby.

Qingwei invited Han Yun to sit down and personally poured him a cup of tea: "Fellow Daoist Han, since you know about the art of adding color to the eyes, you must also know that this technique is almost lost. May I ask what brings you here today?"

Han Yun immediately explained the whole story of the Shuanglin Temple incident, stating that he had already acquired the inheritances of both families, but lacked only the skill of painting the eyes and colors, which would allow him to complete the art of colored sculpture.

Qingwei stroked his beard and smiled: "Since you want to learn this art, I will not hesitate to teach you. However, adding color and finishing touches is not an ordinary painting technique. It requires using Qi to guide the brush, outlining the structure of the painting, and imbuing it with spirit and charm."

"Those who wish to cultivate must first master the art of painting, then comprehend the method of cultivating both body and spirit, and finally touch upon the true essence of spiritual enlightenment. It is difficult for ordinary people to learn this."

Han Yun put down his teacup, and a wisp of golden energy suddenly condensed at his fingertips, gently tracing its shape in the air.

A lifelike crane gradually took shape, its wings outstretched, emitting a clear and melodious crane cry that circled the beams three times before slowly dissipating.

Seeing this, Qingwei's whisk trembled slightly, and he sighed, "Such pure Qi! Fellow Daoist, your skill in condensing Qi into form has reached the essence. It is evident that your cultivation of life force is truly extraordinary."

Han Yun humbly replied, "It's just a minor skill, not worthy of serious consideration."

(End of this chapter)